Evaluating Websites: Introduction

“You Can’t Believe Most of the Quotes You Read On the Internet” -Abraham Lincoln

Some content in this guide based on guides created by:

Leecy Barnett, Lynn Library 

There are FIVE criteria you should keep in mind when evaluating a web site

The FIVE criteria are:

• 1) Authority: Who is responsible for the website and the information it contains?
• 2) Accuracy: How accurate is the information? How reputable are the sources?
• 3) Objectivity: What point of view do the creators of the web site have?
• 4) Currency: How current is the information? Is is outdated?
• 5) Coverage:  Is the web site covering all aspects of a topic?

“the speed of young people’s web searching means that little time is spent in evaluating information, either for relevance, accuracy or authority” The information behaviour of the researcher of the future | UCL